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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28972212">Goodbye</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderBoy/pseuds/WonderBoy'>WonderBoy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Prompts [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Check Please! (Webcomic)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Graduation Kiss, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Prompt Fic, Tumblr Prompt, song prompt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:48:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,309</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28972212</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderBoy/pseuds/WonderBoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Graduation is over, but Samwell Men's Hockey Team has to send off their graduates with one last hurrah. Jack and Bitty still find time for a private goodbye.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tumblr Prompts [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/861604</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>62</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Goodbye</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Me, participating in the Spotify Wrapped shipping prompts almost two months late? More likely than you think.</p><p>The pairing was Zimbits and the song (#89 on my 2020 spotify wrapped playlist) Everything I Need by Quinn XCII. I'm sure there are a million fics about their first kiss and the graduation kiss is old news by now lol but this song just felt perfect for that changing time for them &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="ujudUb">
  <p>
    <em>I know I think too much</em>
    <br/>
    <em>Of what this life may bring</em>
    <br/>
    <em>It keeps me up at night</em>
    <br/>
    <em>'Cause we're all moving on</em>
    <br/>
    <em>On to bigger things</em>
    <br/>
    <em>But it's not time to say goodbye</em>
    <br/>
    <em>So while we're here tonight</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="ujudUb">
  <p>
    <em>Let's throw a party if this is really over</em>
    <br/>
    <em>Invite all your friends even the ones that hate me</em>
    <br/>
    <em>'Cause after tonight, everything else is uncertain</em>
    <br/>
    <em>But everything I need's in front of me</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="ujudUb">
  <p><em>-Everything I Need</em>, Quinn XCII</p>
</div><div class="ujudUb">
  <hr/>
</div><p>“Mostly everyone is off of campus by now,” Jack argues, though he doubts Shitty has been listening to anything he’s been saying for the past half-hour. “Why do you want to throw another kegster right now?”</p><p>Shitty finally drops the bags of ice they were hauling from the truck and turns around. “We just graduated Jacky-boy, tomorrow we’re expected to join the real world of adult jobs and expectations. We deserve one last night of wild fun and debauchery.”</p><p>“You really expect me to believe you’re giving up wild fun and debauchery for the rest of your life?”</p><p>Shitty tosses his head back and laughs. He slaps Jack on the back, ushering his reluctant friend into the Haus. “Of course not.”</p><p>Music is already pouring through the speakers, though not nearly as loud as Jack knows it will get later that night. Chowder and Holster are moving furniture in the living room to make room for whatever crowd they may have tonight. Ransom is sitting on the couch they are currently trying to move, scrolling through his laptop and arguing about songs with Holster.</p><p>Lardo and Nursey are hanging balloons and streamers from the doorways, and there’s a poster on the wall with his and Shitty’s faces that Lardo must have made though he has no idea when she had the time. The decorations are all completely ridiculous and will most definitely get ruined as soon as people start drinking, but the moment Shitty sees it he cheers, abandoning Jack in the doorway to help – or hinder them, considering the way he jumps on Lardo.</p><p>Jack can hear most of the rest of the team somewhere else in the Haus, a few voices carrying in through the open back door from the yard. Most of the windows are open too, and the late spring afternoon brings a warm breeze through the house, carrying the faint scent of rain. It was supposed to rain three days ago but has yet to fall. Jack knows Shitty is hoping for it to hold out at least another day for the kegster.</p><p>Jack ducks under the twisted streamers above the doorway and steps into the kitchen. Bittle, predictably, is there, mixing something at the counter. Dex is with him, sliding something into the oven as Jack joins them. Bittle has a completely different song playing from his laptop, open on the kitchen table. The rest of the table is already covered in various dishes.</p><p>“Making party snacks?” he asks.</p><p>Bittle waves a finger at him, without interrupting his mixing. “Don’t you come in here and tease me Mr. Zimmermann. I am not making that much.”</p><p>Jack looks over his head, making eye contact with Dex, who shakes his head. Bittle swats at the redhead with a dish towel.</p><p>“If the two of you have a problem, I’m sure there’s someone else in this Haus who could use your assistance.”</p><p>Dex takes the hint, leaving the kitchen with a laugh, but Jack stays. He leans against one of the counters, trying to stay out of the way, for the most part, but enough in the way that Bittle has to acknowledge him as he moves around the small room.</p><p>Bittle flushes the third time he bumps into him reaching for something. Jack hands him the beaters, trying not to laugh at Bittle’s frustrated huff.</p><p>“Why are you making such a fuss, Bittle? It’s probably just going to be the team at this point, there aren’t that many people left.”</p><p>“I’m not making that much,” Bittle repeats himself, sliding another tray of something into the oven and setting a timer on his phone. “Besides, it’s our last kegster with the team as it is. You and Shitty graduated. It’s a celebration. And the last time we’ll see each other for a while, most of us are flying or driving out tomorrow morning.” He pauses, looking up at the ceiling, considering. “Well, maybe the afternoon with how some of those boys party, but still.” Bittle looks at Jack again, but though he’s smiling there’s something undeniably sad about his expression. “After tonight, the next time I’ll see you will probably be on TV, huh?”</p><p>Jack isn’t sure why, exactly, but that thought feels like a slap to the face. “What? No. Bittle, I’ll drive up before the season starts.” <em>At least</em>, he adds silently, though why that feels important seems just out of reach.</p><p>Bittle smiles, turning away from Jack, but not before he sees him wiping at his face. “Oh, of course.”</p><p>Jack reaches out, grabbing Bittle’s wrist gently before he can fully pull away. “Bittle-”</p><p>When Bittle looks at him, his eyes are bright with unshed tears. “Oh don’t mind me,” Bittle waves his free hand in the air as if he could erase the image of him crying from their moment. “I’m just getting a little sentimental. I’m just…I’m glad we get a little longer to say goodbye, the whole team I mean, to you <em>and</em> Shitty.”</p><p>Jack tugs at Bittle’s hand, gently, softly enough he could ignore it if he wanted, but Bittle steps closer. Jack does too, pushing himself off the counter. “It’s not really goodbye, not like that.”</p><p>“Jack,” Bittle sighs. “Maybe not, entirely. But for a while. And everything will be different after tonight.”</p><p>Jack knows that, obviously. He’s spent the last few days coming to terms with that. He’s been saying goodbye to Samwell for weeks, honestly: his classes, study sessions in the library, Farber, the Haus, the <em>team</em>. But right here, right now, he’s reminded of all the things he didn’t find the time to say goodbye to: team meals; arguing about tv shows and board games with Holster; shared late nights with Shitty; walking to Annie’s in the winter; Bittle’s pies on cheat days; Bittle’s music in his room, the shared bathroom, the kitchen.</p><p>“Jack,” Bittle says again, and somehow that’s something else Jack hasn’t prepared himself to say goodbye to.</p><p>“Bitty,” Jack says, almost whispers, but he knows Bitty heard him even over the music and their teammates just outside the room from the way his brown eyes widen even more.</p><p>Jack leans closer, letting go of Bitty’s arm to cradle his jaw, marveling at his warm skin and the way he feels his pulse jump just under his palm. Jack’s mind races with about a thousand ways this could go wrong, but it feels right in even more ways as he slots their mouths together for a kiss. And the way Bitty gasps against his mouth, leaning closer and clutching at Jack’s shirt with one hand feels like an agreement.</p><p>Jack pulls away as the timer on Bitty’s phone goes off, vibrating against the countertop besides them. Bitty’s eyes are still closed for a moment and it takes all of his willpower not to drop down for another kiss right then.</p><p>“You should probably get that.”</p><p>“Right.” Bitty’s eyes blink open and his soft smile looks so stupidly kissable, Jack has absolutely no idea how he didn’t notice before.</p><p>Neither of them move.</p><p>“Bitty-”</p><p>“Stop trying to ruin my moment, Mr. Zimmermann.” Bitty says without heat, swatting uselessly at Jack’s chest.</p><p>“I just don’t want to get blamed if it burns,” Jack teases.</p><p>That finally gets him to move, shoving Jack out of the way to reach for oven mitts. “I do <em>not</em> burn things.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Wow it's been a long time since I've written for Check, Please! </p><p>Thanks so much for reading!!</p><p>Feel free to request new things, stalk the progress of other fics, or just chat on <a href="http://thathopelessromantic.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/wonder_romantic?lang=en">twitter</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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